The in-situ delivery of therapeutic agents within the body of a patient is common in the practice of modern medicine. In-situ delivery of therapeutic agents is often implemented using medical devices that may be temporarily or permanently placed at a target site within the body. These medical devices can be maintained, as required, at their target sites for short or prolonged periods of time, in order to deliver therapeutic agents to the target site.
H. Wieneke, et al., “Synergistic effects of a novel nanoporous stent coating and tacrolimus on intima proliferation in rabbits,” Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, Volume 60, Issue 3, pp. 399-407, describe stainless steel coronary stents that are provided with a ceramic nanoporous aluminum oxide (Al2O3) coating, which is used as a carrier for tacrolimus. Similarly, Pub. No. US 2005/0070989, describes implantable medical devices such as stents, which have nanoporous layers that are loaded with therapeutic agents. Pub. No. US 2006/0127443 to Helmus et al. is directed to medical devices which contain a vapor deposited nanoporous coating (e.g., a polymeric, ceramic or metallic nanoporous coating) disposed over a therapeutic-agent containing region, which regulates the release of the therapeutic agent from the medical device when it is placed into a subject.